Two-time cancer survivor Jarrod Lyle says it will be a dream if his comeback to tour golf in America provides inspiration for others.
The 32-year-old Victorian regards success as just playing again but understands that playing well could help use his story for good as he prepares to return via the secondary web.com Tour in Kansas on July 24.
Lyle, who was struck down with his second bout of leukaemia in the midst of his best US PGA Tour season in 2012, has defied to odds to not only survive but return to competitive golf.
After playing a handful of events in Australia late last year Lyle has returned to his US home in Orlando, Florida and will play the remaining three warm-up events he’s permitted under his medical exemption over the next two months before again tackling the main tour.
“Just to get back out there is a massive achievement,” Lyle said on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
“There were times where I thought I was dead and thought I’d never get back out on the golf course, and there was times where I thought I don’t want to play golf anymore.
“But I’m here now.
“I’ve given it enough time to make sure, importantly, that the health was right, but I’ve (also) given it enough time to make sure that my golf game has been in decent enough shape that I feel I can come over and compete.”
Lyle starts his comeback towards the US PGA Tour at the web.com Tour’s Midwest Classic just outside Kansas City from July 24-27.
He will then tee it up in Springfield, Missouri (Aug 7-10) and in Knoxville, Tennessee (Aug 14-17), an event he won in 2008.
It is expected he will then be part of the field in the 2014-15 PGA Tour season-opener in California, pending a sponsor invite, starting his quest to earn $US283,825 in 20 events, which coupled with his 2012 earnings of $US363,685, would equal No.125 on the 2012 money list and earn him a full tour card once more.
Lyle has been practising every second day since arriving back in Florida, pushing his fitness to see how he responds.
In the past he has been somewhat anonymous on the tour, his best a tie for fourth place in Los Angeles right before his diagnosis, but now he’s an inspiration to millions around the world, ensuring he’ll attract plenty of attention.
“I guess I am ready for that,” Lyle said.
“I’ve always been a very little fish in a big pond, and no one has really paid any attention to me, and nor should they because I haven’t really got the runs on the board.
“I still haven’t got the runs on the board, but I’ve got a bit more of a story to tell, and if I could get out there and play well and kind of use my story to help other people deal with what they’re dealing with, that would be a dream.
“Success is just playing again and while I’ve always been a very competitive person I think, with what happened to me as a 17-year-old, it’s given me that perspective on life that even if you have a bad day of golf it doesn’t matter.
“There’s plenty of good days left and there’s plenty of worse things that can happen than shooting 80 at a golf tournament.
“Life is too short sometimes, and you just don’t take things for granted.”